Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center in Carson City, where William Dresser shot his wife, Frances, in an apparent attempted murder-suicide.

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The opinion of the RGJ Editorial Board

It's a heartbreaking story that could have had consequences even more tragic.

It will also likely encourage the Nevada Legislature to consider again a "death with dignity" law similar to those in three other states and social services professionals to ponder how they can better help an individual in such obvious psychic pain who felt he had no one to turn to.

As this case so clearly demonstrates, however, there are no easy answers. The laws in Oregon, Washington and Vermont probably wouldn't have dealt with the specifics of this incident. Even in the states that have adopted death with dignity ...